My mate did mine yesterday and it took him 3.5 hours as its awkward to get to as you have to drop the fuel tank at one side.
Tip is to make sure you have very little fuel in to save the waste and lighten the load.

It can be quite a bit of fuel and not brimming it wont stop the leak. Anywhere it isnt on a level surface or anytime it goes round a bend. The moral question is it fair to spray fuel over the road? As a motorcyclist nursing injuries from a streak of diesel I thought it best I fixed mine.

Is this a fault which is 'common' to pre-lci's only as I have not come across any threads which mention the issue on lci's? It seems like the hose was covered with a plastic pipe in lci's which appears to have sorted the problem.

MPD78 You are correct, mine actually deformed the side moulding slightly. A dead give away now I know what to look for. Just in front of rear offside wheel. It will be impossible to see the pipe damage from any angle.

Right, mines got the leak!!! I've read some other threads on this subject with people talking about goodwill gestures from BMW and the stealers while others get charged £700 or more to get the pipe replaced

I've had my car a few months, it's my first bimmer and I've never used a stealers so I've probably got no chance when it comes to goodwill, although my car does have full BMWSH.

Has anyone had the pipe replaced at or could recommend a decent indie in the East London/Essex area please?

Maybe a stupid question, but isn't it possible to cut a hole under the rear seat? The vent pipe is located on the right side of the fuel tank. Maybe you can reach this from the inside of the car through a 40mm hole left of the fuelpump?